The Quirks of Buenos Aires
November 28, 2006

Thought some of you might be interested in reading about some of the common sights and customs that I feel differentiate Buenos Aires from Toronto and many other Canadian cities.

1. There seems to be a real pregnancy trend here. Quite bizarre really. It seems 50% of women are 6-9 months pregnant. No joke. That being said, I think it´s safe to assume that 25% of the remaining women are in early stages of pregnancy. Catholicism certainly plays a central role, but still, it´s truly hard to believe my eyes sometimes. That being said, the small parades of parents walking toddlers to school/daycare in the morning is a site to be seen. I love witnessing the variety of mini-me personalities walking hand-in-hand with mom or kids on dad´s shoulders, talking and singing to each other. Sterling and I are definitely getting our good share of gawwgaww moments in but sorry mom and dad, no babies will be coming home with us any time soon.

2. The second most frequently seen subject on the street is doggy poop. Word of warning, although you may be tempted to look up at the stunning architecture or fashionable shops, keep your eyes peeled. The Government has obviously failed to invest in a poop & scoop campaign, and if the poop doesn´t get you, the beautiful but ancient, tiled sidewalks will.

3. Senior generations are incredibly active and the women are in particularly great shape. Those that I´ve had the pleasure of speaking with seem to have a real thirst for life and a very positive energy. Just the other day, a woman asked me for my arm while waiting to cross the street. We had the nicest chat and it really made my day.

4. On a related note, watch out for busses and cabs when crossing the street. They are by far the craziest drivers. In fact, don´t expect ANY car to stop for a pedestrian at the curb. Pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way here.

5. If you have a sweet tooth like me, this is the place to be. If you´re not careful, you can easily have desserts with every meal. (much of the time, they come free with your coffee and other purchases) I´ve also become very familiar with Dulce de Leche. (sweet of milk) I´m here to tell you, EVERYTHING has dulce de leche in it. And I don´t blame them! If there´s one thing that competes with dulce de leche, it´s ice cream. Porteños love their ice cream, any time of day!

6. If you´re looking to get your haircut or buy some new shoes/clothes, there are millions of stores to choose from! On the other hand, if you´re looking for a large variety of packaged foods in the supermarkets, look elsewhere. It´s all about fresh meat, bread, dairy, and vegetables. (I´m not complaining, just different) I´d like to add that not only is this healthier, it reduces the amount of packaging that ends up in landfills. Now, if only they could just put propper mufflers on their cars and switch to unleaded!

7. If cooking’s not for you, be prepared to take a seat and wait. In fact, very few items are available TO GO. Coffee doesn´t always fit into the category either as many places do not have disposable cups. I´ve even seen waiters on the street delivering trays of cappuccino to nearby offices with cups and saucers. If you´re looking for a quick bite, your options are sandwiches, empanadas and lots of sweet treats. There are no health food convenience items or even fast food varieties like pizza, other than the occasional McDonalds. Also, it is not uncommon to go unacknowledged for 10 minutes or more, so don´t take it personally. The waiters are not trying to be rude; that´s just the way it´s done here.

8. On an entirely separate note, an interesting cultural difference exists in one´s relationship with the poor. In fact very little begging exists here. Instead, one sees individuals and families on the streets from 6-9 p.m. going through the garbage for any and all recyclables before the garbage trucks arrive. Everyone is very focused and work very hard, never stopping to solicit others. I am also amazed by the near non-existence of drug and alcohol abuse, or for that matter, mental health disorders. Those that are poor have obviously come by very hard times, but by no means is it a result of the many self-destructive practices we often see in North America. I am currently looking into volunteer opportunities and look forward to working with less priviledged individuals when my Spanish improves.

9. As a final note, Porteños are a very warm and generous people. I´ve discovered most are genuinely interested in who you are and where you´re from and rarely do I sense impatience or rudeness when attempting to communicate with them. It´s truly a pleasure to share their beautiful city with them.

Much love to you all back home,

Sam